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  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2012 Sam Crescent

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-164-0

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Karyn White

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

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  SLEEPING WITH THE BOSS

  Friends, Men, and Secrets, 1

  Sam Crescent

  Copyright © 2012

  Chapter One

  “It has been too long since we got completely smashed on tequila,” Heather Booth said to her three friends. They sat in a bar sipping down shots of their favourite spirit. It was Friday, and the place hummed with activity.

  “I second that. There is nothing in this world that cannot be cured by alcohol,” Ashley said, throwing back another shot.

  “Third it,” Amber said.

  “I’m going to take your word for it. I’m happy with a Coke,” Connie said.

  Heather smiled, slapping her hands on the table. “Another round.” She called for the barman to fill up their glasses. The week she had had at the office required the sweet oblivion alcoholic drink would provide. Her boss, Julian Goff, had worked her ass until it was numb from all the hard labour. She was his personal assistant, and he treated her like a slave. There was nothing he wouldn’t ask for. He’d requested she buy his current girlfriend the goodbye gift that only a hot, wealthy man could afford.

  Fucking bastard.

  He went through women faster than she went through batteries for her vibrator. Pulling her head out of the clouds, Heather drank down her next shot then dragged all of her friends onto the dance floor. They laughed as the song changed to an upbeat pulse-pounding rhythm. She needed this, to lose herself in the dancing and the mind-numbing pleasure that drinking tequila while hanging out with her girlfriends gave her. Work was becoming too difficult. If Julian didn’t change his attitude soon she would be handing in her resignation. There was no way she’d work for an overbearing asshole who used women.

  A couple of guys tried to work their way into the group. She and her friends pushed them away. Girl night was about them, so no dicks were allowed.

  When the song ended, each of them wandered over to the bar. Heather rubbed the sweat from her brow while the others took their seats. The bartender handed them their drinks. She noticed his eyes strayed to Connie. Smiling, Heather lifted her eyebrow and watched him turn red then leave. Men. Did they really think girls didn’t notice?

  “Ladies, I’m going to call it a night,” Ashley said, after swigging down another shot. “I’ve still got to work tomorrow, and as much as I’d love to get blasted with you guys, I need this job.”

  Heather hugged her close. “Can we take this back to my place? I’ll order Chinese for us?”

  Connie agreed to stay with her, but Amber had to leave as well.

  Heather paid their tab then followed Connie outside. Both of them declined a cab and began walking in the direction of Heather’s home.

  “Do you remember a time when Friday night meant drinking, dancing, and spending the weekend together?” Heather asked.

  “Ashley and Amber both said they’d see us tomorrow. We’re older now. We have responsibilities and all that,” Connie said.

  “It’s crap. I remember a time I would have turned ‘round to Julian Goff and told him to go fuck himself. He has to get his own bullshit for his fuck of the moment.”

  “Tequila has really loosened your tongue.”

  “Not just tequila but the whole lot of shit I have to go through. He may be hot, and the money may be great, but I’m tired of the stress. I’m twenty-five years old. The last boyfriend I had thought I was in love with my boss.” Heather walked ‘round a lamp post to avoid bumping into it. She must have drunk more than she thought.

  “You always said your boss was hot, Heather. Besides, your last boyfriend was an idiot. He didn’t deserve you.”

  “Thanks, Connie.” She wrapped her arm around her friend’s shoulders. They walked to the Chinese take-away where Heather ordered enough food for the weekend. Together, they made it to her home. The food ended up in the fridge as Connie held Heather’s hair off her face while she threw up everything into the toilet.

  “You’re a good friend,” Heather said.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think I know why the others declined coming back here with you. They knew you’d end up drunk out of your face.” Connie helped her into the shower. The cold water blasted over her.

  “Fuck, Connie. That’s cold.”

  “You need to be sober.”

  For the next twenty minutes, Heather allowed her friend to wash her then put her to bed. In the morning she’d make it up to Connie, but for now she was feeling down in the dumps over her situation at work. The more she thought about quitting, the harder it was to think about. She wanted to quit. Watching all the model-thin and beautiful women on Julian’s arm had become too difficult. She knew why her boyfriend dumped her. The feelings she harboured for her boss scared her.

  “I don’t want to be sober. I want to be drunk. It is easier when I’m drunk.”

  “Whatever, come on. Get in.” Connie pulled the blankets back. Heather tucked the blankets under her chin. She heard movement ‘round the house then the sound of her friend joining her in bed.

  “We’ll talk about your boss and everything tomorrow. Good night, Heather.”

  “Night, Connie.”

  Ever since they were kids, Heather, Connie, Ashley, and Amber had been the best of friends. Unlike most friends who grew apart as they aged or went to college, they hadn’t. All of them had gone to the same college even though they took different courses. Their friendship remained thick even as their parents tried to pull them apart. They never went a week without seeing each other. Her three friends were her true family. She had an older brother, Elijah, whom she rarely spoke to. He was usually off doing his own thing.

  They had made a pact to be best friends forever. They wore the necklaces and had stuck to the pact during thick and thin. Heather loved them. She closed her eyes thinking about Julian. He was a big problem, and her feelings for him were an even bigger problem.

  On Monday morning she needed to figure out a plan to get over him. Being love-sick for a man who’d never look at her twice was downright depressing.

  ****

  Julian watched Heather with her three friends up to the point of leaving. He was there with Krissy, his current girlfriend of the moment. She bored him with her constant pouting. A couple of his business associates kept looking toward the dance floor. He knew they were looking at his personal assistant. She should have been seated with him for the informal meeting, but he’d not asked her to attend. Instead, he’d sent her on her merry way while he tried to broker a deal without all the formality of meetings in boardrooms.

  “Isn’t that your assistant?” Bill asked.

  “Yes.” Julian clenched his teeth together. When the four women left he felt so relieved. Krissy’s perfume was giving him a headache. Her hand stroking his thigh made him want to vomit. Heather was driving him crazy. He
knew hiring her over three years ago had been a mistake. She’d not long finished college, and he’d spotted her in the enemy’s den, which happened to be a rival firm. He’d swooped in and offered her a job.

  Her presence in his life had been refreshing. He also found he liked watching the sway of her hips along with the shape of her ass as she walked away from his desk. Her perfume always turned him on first thing in the morning when she handed him the mail. Work became a constant enjoyment. Except something had changed in the last few months. She’d become terse. Her time with him had become strained. She looked like she wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

  Downing the dregs of his whiskey, he excused himself from the table. Krissy wanted to dance while he wanted to find out what the problem was with his personal assistant. Her long brown locks had been pulled out of the tight bun she recently favoured. Watching her and trying to conduct business had been difficult. He shook the glass at the bartender for a refill. Glancing back at the table he saw one of the men feeling Krissy up. Julian couldn’t help but chuckle. Their relationship was coming to an end. Her constant whining and demands were starting to gnaw at him

  “Here you go, mate,” the bar-man said as he handed him his drink.

  “Thanks.” Julian pulled a note of his wallet for him. He waited for his change. “Did you know those women who were standing by the bar?” he asked. Julian had no idea why he asked, but he wanted to find out more about the woman who’d been working for him for some time.

  “In case you haven’t seen, this place is crawling with crowds of women.”

  “Four women together. All of them beautiful and with fuller figures that make them stand out in a crowd. Three of them wore business suits while the other wore jeans?”

  Why don’t you shut up, Julian?

  “You mean Connie and her crowd?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Yeah, Connie, Ashley, Amber and Heather. They come in here most Friday nights and Sunday mornings. They like to have lunch. I know them well.”

  “And you are?” Julian asked.

  “I’m Wade Sear. I own this place.”

  Julian reached over and shook the man’s hand. “It’s a great place you’ve got here. Any clues on what the women were talking about?” Julian waited. He needed to know what was going on with Heather.

  “I don’t know, man. They were talking about work or something. Usually, we’d talk for a while, but they know on Fridays I can’t help them. It is too busy.”

  “Okay. Thanks for the drink. Here, this is my card. Give me a call if you ever want to think of expansion.” He handed his card over, took his drink, then made his way over to the table. Krissy looked ready to bolt with the guy sitting to her left. By the end of the night he knew she’d be free and on her way. The piece of jewellery he’d gotten Heather to buy lay in his jacket pocket.

  On Monday he hoped to have a clearer understanding of what was wrong with Heather. He didn’t like not knowing. His controlling ways made him want to be in charge of everything. He liked the fact she did as he told her without question. Running his fingers through his hair, he waited for the best time to call his driver so he could drop Krissy off at her apartment.

  Heather dominated most of his thoughts. She always had since the moment he met her. Usually his tastes in women were for the thin, model type—who were more interested in spending his money than talking to him. Heather Booth was different with her lush curves. She looked sexy as hell with the knee-length skirts and crisp white blouse she wore. Her tits were large, and the bras she wore only emphasised her size. He knew if he was to get his hands on her, he would never want to let go.

  That was his problem. He didn’t do commitment. Short, enjoyable flings with no emotion were what he was after. Heather looked like the type of woman who wanted forever. He couldn’t offer her what she wanted. When he’d given her the job as his personal assistant, he’d done so with the intention of seducing her, then letting her go into the big, wide world. After she worked for him for several months he knew he never wanted to let her go. She was an invaluable work colleague, hard-working, and loyal to boot. Seducing her would have been wrong. He liked her way too much.

  “I want to go, baby,” Krissy said trying to reach for his crotch.

  Julian said his goodbyes then called his driver to pick them up. He was prepared for the anger she’d show. He was a wealthy man. Most of his girlfriends hated being dumped, but when they began to think they had a hold over him, they were gone within a week. All except Heather. She’d been the female employee he’d had the longest.

  “I can’t wait to get you home. There is so much I want to do to you.” Her words didn’t turn him on. He knew she was panicking. His wallet would be gone, and she’d be left stranded with nothing to support her.

  His driver came ‘round. Julian gave the guy directions to her apartment. All he needed to do was stick it out until they pulled up outside her apartment.

  When he saw they were only five minutes from her place, he took the jewellery from his pocket.

  “I think it’s time to call it quits, Krissy.” He handed her the box.

  “What is this?” she asked.

  “You know what it is, and you’ve been preparing for it. I saw the way Bill was looking at you. I think you should go for it.”

  “So, you fuck me then pass me onto your friend while you go and pursue another woman?” Her voice rose.

  “You knew this is what happens. We agreed when we were ready to move on we would. I don’t do commitment, Krissy. Take what you got, and enjoy it.” The car came to a stop.

  “You’re a self-centred, heartless bastard. I hate you, Julian Goff.” He noticed she kept the jewellery as she stormed out of the car.

  “Are you okay, boss?” Cage said.

  “Yes. Take me back to my place now.”

  He sat back, relieved for her to be out of his life. Some of the women he dated were happy with his goodbye gift and a friendly kiss, but some acted like Krissy. Shrugging his shoulders he waited for his apartment where his warm bed lay. At forty years old he was growing tired of a life filled with nothing but work. He loved working, but he didn’t want to die too young without enjoying his life.

  Heather Booth.

  Julian pushed her to the back of his mind. He’d deal with her on Monday. She was the only part of his life he didn’t want to complicate.

  Chapter Two

  Heather rolled over with a groan. Her head ached from the tequila she’d drunk the night before. The sun was glaring in from her window. She wanted to throw her pillow at the light. How dare it look so damn cheery?

  Pulling the blanket over her head, she groaned as the littlest movement made her head feel like it was exploding.

  “Juice?” Connie said.

  Heather peeked over the edge of the blanket to see one of her friends holding out a glass of juice and two aspirin tablets. Nodding her head gently, she sat up with a moan. “I promised you I’d make it up to you.”

  “I’ve known you my whole life, Heather. I knew you wouldn’t be in any fit state to cook me breakfast.” Connie sat on the edge of the bed in a pair of her pajamas. They all had something of each other’s at their apartments. Stopping by and having a sleepover always happened at some point. Keeping a closet full of each other’s clothing was the simplest solution.

  The tablets were down with a huge swig of cool juice. “I needed that. Why did I drink so much?”

  “I have no idea. You’re not happy at work?”

  Before Heather had a chance to answer her doorbell sounded.

  “That’s the reinforcements.” Connie rubbed her head making Heather groan. She sipped at the juice, scared to even look at her hair. Then she remembered Connie showering her and putting her to bed.

  Several minutes later, Ashley and Amber jumped on the bed with bags.

  “I thought you had to work,” she said.

  “We did. It’s two in the afternoon. You look like crap,” Amber
said.

  The scent of baking invaded her senses. “You brought breakfast?”

  “You didn’t give us much of a choice. You’re the best cook, and it doesn’t look like you’ll be able to hold a frying pan let alone make croissants.” Ashley handed her a white box.

  Heather pushed her hair out of her face. She knew it would be matted, but she didn’t care. Leaving the house wasn’t required until Monday.

  “Wait, it’s two o’clock? As in, I slept past breakfast and lunch?” she asked her friends. Connie walked in chuckling with a mug of what smelt like coffee in her hands.

  “Yes, you were snoring, and I didn’t want to wake you. You looked so cute. Plus, you were snoring really loudly.”

  Heather threw a pillow at Connie but laughed. Her headache began to ease, the juice and tablets doing their job.

  “This is what I needed. Thank you.” Heather pulled out a buttery croissant taking a huge bite. She moaned as the explosion of flavour invaded her senses.

  The other kicked off their shoes and ate their own pastries. They were all bigger girls, their figures being one of the things that drew them together. When they shopped they were a similar size and could swap and change clothes without embarrassment.

  “Are you going to tell us what the tequila episode was about?” Amber asked.

  Heather moaned as Julian entered her head. She hated the fact he was invading her time with her girlfriends.

  Her three friends looked at one another, then at her. “Guy trouble,” they all said in unison.

  Heather reached over for a clip and tied her head on top of her head. “It’s not guy trouble. I’ve just realised falling for a guy you can never have sucks. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be in love with a guy who gets you to pick out trinkets for his current model girlfriend?” She rubbed her hand over her face.